Suction-operated device for scrubbing and drying floors



APrll 3 w. J. BELKNAP 2,535,277

SUCTION-OPERATED DEVICE FOR I SCRUBBING AND DRYING FLOORS Filed Feb. 1a, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 :EIE-r-J- IN VEN TOR.

Mum/w r/ 554 KAI/7P WJ W I Patented Apr. 21, 1953 SUCT-ION QPERKTED DEVIGEFOR SR1UB-- ANDsDRYING'FLOORS WilliamJ; Belknap, Corning,,Y;

Aiip'lication Fbruary "16, 1948; Serial N6: 8,2533

8 Claims;. 15-322).1

This invention 'relates generallyto flooracleane ing equipment' ami'refers more particulanly-to; improvements irrfioor scrubbing and/or drying: devices:

One of the-objects of this invention is tosproe vide'a compact, light =weight deviee equipped with's. meansfor scrubbing and: drying a-fioonsunfacez with. a minimum of-effort onth'e part ofthe user.

A more: detailedfeature ofthis ihventiom isto-t provide a "scrubbingdevice comprising a housing 10 adapted" to cont-aura Supply-endearing liquid? and equipped-with a 'brush supported-at the under: side" of the housing for engagement'witlr a fl'oor surface? Another object of thisinventidn is =to provide such""a'scrubbing 'devioe with means for distrib utihg clearring fluid from the housing onto the l fit'ior surface inuesponse -to= fore'andi' af-t movemmfofthe-ibrusm over the floor surfaces Stiltanother object-of this invention-is to proa 2Q vld'e' such ascrubblng device with meansior com nectinghthe housing toa"source of suction subse quentto the scrubbing operation: aud"a1sowitl 1 meansrresponsive to thesuction 'for e-ileotively.re turning the cleaningliquid from'the floor surfaceback into the housing: Thus the cleaning liquidisicontinuously'recirculated byalternatelymani a ul ttingtl'ie'housinggto'scrubanddrythe floon surface? AFL furtherfeatureof 3 this invention is i to pro vide" such" a: scrubbing device adapted-ion corr nect'rorr to orthbdoxwtanlr'type vacuum cleaners-= and having a suction passagecareiully designed" to enable efiectively raising the lihuid cleaner from tliefloor surface'b'ack intothe'housi-ng'with the-power available in commercial domestic types= of, Lvecuum; cleaners.

'Ais'tjllfurther imgortant feature of this inven tilo'n. isJtQQ design. the suction" passage between-- menu-lake pprt'in the housingmnd' the suction 40 outlet opening, of? the housing t, iIIf"S[ 1CI'l"a scrub device in a mannersuch that-thaliquid cleanernon the floorsurfaceis not oniy'rapidly returnedito the housingtduring' the drying 1oper atiom withthe. application of La minimum' pressxirediiferentieihl but in addition; part'icles'of the liquidate. prevented from being carriedthrough tlie suction outlet'openingeven irrxcases where thesuctionihrceiis relatively great? In accord-- ance, withflthis invention. the above. is accom- 5 plishedj hy, shieldingfthe suction" outlet" opening from,..d1'rect communication witht-h'e"ihteriorvod tlielhousing 'and'byjpmviding-asystem of baffi's arranged between the intake-port and the suctiom outletf'onening iua, manner to require theeir to flow through aserpentine patm Thusanymois tu-re'suspendedin the air-flowing from the-intake port'to the suction" outlet seeming" iscollected? omthe baffles-and is drained to 'tlre'lower portion: fth hnusins Still anoeher-advantageous:{eature or this i mean isto-- collectthe liquid 1 cleanesz aha. thee 2. 1 intakev p ort during the drying operations by a .4 squeegee securedto the housing" ofsuch a. scrub-i bing 'device in a position such that itnaotually for-ms the inner side-01 the intake port;

lected by the squeegee is directly subjected; to;

th'e-aotionof the suction'and is quicklyreturnedr to the housing;

The foregoing as well as --othe1 objeets: wil1lbe made more apparent as this description proceeds;

Figure 44s: a slightly 'enlarged sectional-"view? Figure fi is av reduced sectional view: takemont;

the line 5 -.-5 of Figure 12;

Thescrubbing deviceforming thei-subjectmate ter' ofithis; invention .particularlyvdeslgned for" the purpose tot cleaning: flooring. with a liquid;

cleaner, and is 1 adapted. to. efieot-iuely dry: the;

floor subsequ'entxtovitheicleaningsoperations Thus the tedious and. time consuming operatiom of:

mopping the zfioor;suriacetisi eliminatect.

Ingeneralrpartioularly satisfactory results; are

obtained; by: employing: any one I. of 1a; number of;

ayailabl'eai'" detergents? for actually: effecting the cleamnggzoperation; and :this zdetergent iorrcleanr- 1 ing liquidais recirculated. until. it accumulates suf-r ficient, dint orsforeigna matter togimpair: its; clean! mg -function. Whensueh: a:conditionprevailszthe detergent onxcleaningliuui'deim the device maybereplacediwith little effort on..the:;par-t Jofithe-Vuse Imthepresentinstance thealiquidcleaner. is draw from therfloor' surface back 1 into: the device suction-and lthawsoumeoflthoesuctionymayybe i115. theziformziori anyr. oneaotzthez available tank; type;

domesticfvaouunucleaners and inearly: of; the-lun right vacuum mleaners swithw hose:- attachments;

As; willabeg-presentlyz described; the devices is; receives-the conventional nos-1 zle 2 prov ded) on the; suction: hose saoi-xsuch. a: vaeequ pned; toreadily uurm cleaner;

Wit the'ab ve viewi-zreferenc isrnow ma e moreiin 'zdetail-vtovthe drawings wherein the nu;-v meral l-fl-rindicatesaaz housin c pable f b in inexpensively produced fromaeither: sheet rmetalr andze rcas i ss In s-ca t e usi -:com prisfifi aerear side mall; l 1, abottom Wall 12, atom wall; I3 ;.end walls; I41: and;v .a frontsidewall. [51 which: ISLShOWni im Figure 5 Zmf: the-drawings as} curved :upwardly; from theefrontedge ofmthei bottomzfiwall lz tomheitop w 11 r -3i The-ihousing is adapted; ton contairr. a, splicified'i amount- 0t 1' a selected liquid cleaner, and the quantity, of cleaner: introdncedjs; preerab x.-'pr t mined to..assnmexsuhstantiallysthsdeve indicat d h$m The}; design is -su'ch that all ofthe liquid cleaner "col-J on the top wall l3 for convenient manipulation.

Referring again to Figure 20f the drawings, it will be noted that the bottom wall I2 is bent or otherwise fashioned to form angularly related front and rear sections l8 and I3, respectively. It will further be noted that the front and end edge portions of the bottom wall |2 are formed with depending flanges 23. In the specific embodiment of the invention selected herein for the purposeof illustration, the rear section |9 of the bottom wall I2 is inclined upwardly with respect to the front section I8 at an angle of approximately 10 and a scrubbing brush 2| of any suitable design is secured against the bottom wall section l9 adjacent the rear edge by suitable fastener elements 22 which may be in the form of screws anchored in the flanges 2|). The bristles 23 of the scrubbing brush 2| project below the bottom edges of the flanges 20, and may be engaged with the floor surface to be cleaned by tilting the front side portion of the housing Id upwardly from the position thereof shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

When the housing Ill is in its scrubbing position noted above, the same may be moved back and forth on the floor surface with a scrubbing action. In response to this scrubbing motion of the housing |0, liquid cleaner contained in the housing is distributed on the floor surface rear- Wardly of they brush 2 In detail it will be noted from Figure 2 of the drawings that a plurality of restricted orifices 24 are formed in the bottom Wall section l9 adjacent the rear wall M. It will further be noted that a bafile 25 is secured to the bottom floor section IS in advance of the orifices 24. The baffle 25 extends upwardly to a position substantially above the normal level of the cleaning fluid in the housing and the opposite ends of the baflle are respectively secured to the end walls Hi. The upper end of the baffle 25 is spaced laterally forwardly from the rear wall I I to provide a restricted slot 23 and this slot may be protected by a screen 2i if desired. The construction is provided with a forwardly extending flange 32 at the bottom edge thereof. Cooperating with the embossed portion 3| to form a generally verticalvly extending passage 33 is a plate 34. The lower end of the plate 34 is bent rearwardly opposite the flange 20 at the front edge of the bottom wall l2 toform a recess 35, and the rear wall 36 of the recess is Welded, brazed o1 otherwise secured to the adjacent flange 20. The opposite ends of the plate 34 are respectively welded or brazed throughout the length thereof to the embossed portion 3| and the top edge of the plate 34 terminates short of the corresponding edge of the embossed portion to form an elongated outlet opening 31. If desired the embossed portion 3| and 7 plate 34 may be formed so that the side walls of the passage converge from the bottom of the pas sage to the top of the latter. This arrangement facilitates flow of fluid upwardly through the passage into the housing. As'shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, th

bottom portion 38 of the embossed front wall |5 extends downwardly at the front side of the recess 35 to a position wherein the flange 32 lies substantially in the same general plane as the bottom edge of the flange 20 on the section N3 of the bottom wall l2. Thus the bottom portion 38 forms the front side of the passage 33 at-the entrant end of the latter. The rear side of the lower end portion of the passage 33 is formed by a squeegee 39 having a frame 40a removably clamped to the depending flange 20 enable the squeegee to support the flange 32 a such that the liquid cleaner in the housing is r agitated during the scrubbing action to such an extent that a small amount of cleaner escapes through the slot 23. The cleaner escaping through the slot 26 passes downwardly through the orifices 24 and is distributed on the surface of the floor being scrubbed. In order to retard the turbulence imparted to the liquid cleaner in the housing during the scrubbing action, a grill 28 is secured to the bottom wall section H! in advance of the bafile 25. This grill comprises a plurality of vertical baflles 29 which extend between the end walls M of the housing and are spaced laterally from each other. The baffles 29 extend to approximately the normal level of the cleaning fluid in the'ho-using, and are formed with openlugs 30 adjacent their bottom-edges to enable relatively free-passage of cleaning fluid therethrough. Thus the grill 23 clamps the turbulent action of the cleaning fluid during scrubbing and prevents this fluid from wetting the upper portions of the housing walls. This is advantageous in that it assists in reducing the amount of moisture which may be drawn into the suction producing device or vacuum cleaner during the drying operation. I v i The portion 3| of the front wall l5 'of the housing is embossed laterally forwardly, and is slight distance above the floor surface whenthe housing is tilted to its floor drying position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Secured to the top wall l3 of the housing ad- --jacent the rear wall II is a shell 42 fashioned formed in the top wall of the housing. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the opposite end walls of the shell converge and are connected by a top wall 44 having an outlet opening 45 therethrough. A fitting 43 is secured to the top wall 44 of the shell and is provided with an upwardly extending tubular part 41 in registration with the opening 45. The tubular part is tapered for connection with a suction tube (not shown) orthodox tank type vacuum cleaners.

vIt will be understood that the housing may I be manipulated to effect both the scrubbing and drying operations by the suction tube of the Q However, during the scrubbing operation, the vacuum cleaner is preferably vacuum cleaner.

, rendered inoperative, so that moisture will'not be drawn into the vacuum cleaner during the scrubbing operation. On the other hand when it is desired to dry the floor previously scrubbed, the vacuum cleaner is rendered operative, and the housing is tilted to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. In this position the housing is moved at a. relativelyslow rate over which forms a standard part of said chamber communicating with the interior of said housing and being adapted to receive a housing adapted for movement over a floor sur-- face and having top, side, end and bottom walls, a floor cleaning element supported in a position below the bottom wall of the housing adjacent one end wall of the latter and engageable with the floor surface, means defining a generally vertically extending passage adjacent the opposite end wall of the housing, said passage having a downwardly opening intake at the bottomthereof and having an outlet opening at the top communicating with the interior of the housing at a point spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall, the floor engaging surface of the cleaning element and the intake opening at the bottom of the passage being so positioned that tilting the housing in opposite directions alternatively engages the cleaning element with the floor surface and positions the intake opening immediately adjacent the floor surface, a suction opening in one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet openingand adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage to the suction opening, the effective cross sectional area of the passage being substantially the same as the effective cross sectional area of the suction opening to obtain the maximum flow of air upwardly through the passage, means for precipitating moisture from the air as it passes from the outlet opening to the suction opening, perforated baiiie means projecting upwardly from the bottom-wall of the housing and adapted to reduce turbulence of the liquid accumulated in the bottom of the housing, and means defining a chamber adjacent the end wall above the floor cleaning element, said chamber communicating with the interior of said housing and being adapted to receive a portion of the liquid accumulated in the bottom of said housing and being provided with openings adapted to discharge adjacent said floor cleaning element the liquid so received.

3. A floor scrubbing device comprising a housing adapted for movement overa floor surface and tiltable in opposite directions, said housing having top, side, end and bottom walls, a floor cleaning element supported in a position below the bottom wall of the housing adjacent one end wall of the latter and engageable with the floor a. substantial distance above the bottom wall, a

suction opening in ,one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage, to the suction opening, means for precipitating moisture from the air passing from the outlet opening to the suction opening including a series of generally vertically extending battles spaced from each other in the direction of airflow, and a. settling chamber be yond said bafiies, said bafiles being arranged to provide for said air a serpentine passage having abrupt directional changes whereby liquid particles are fiung out of said air, and said settlingchamber having a larger cross-sectional area than that of said first-mentioned passage and that of said serpentine passage, the last bafiie in said series extending downwardly fromthe top Wall of the housing and having the lower end spaced a substantial distance from the suction opening, and perforated baiile means projecting upwardly from the bottom'wall of the housing for reducing turbulence of the liquid accumulated in the housing, said serpentine passage being" spaced sufficiently far above the upper level of said liquid that restriction by said liquid of said serpentine passage is avoided.

4. A floor scrubbing device comprising a'hous 1 ing adapted formovement over a floor surface and having top, side, end and bottom walls, i

means defining a passage extending generally vertically from the bottom wall and'positioned adjacent the front end wall of the housing, said passage having an intake opening located in a position to be immediately adjacent the floor surface and having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of the housing at a point spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall, a suction opening in one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet 4 opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage to the suction opening, serpentine passage means positioned between said outlet opening and said suction opening and into which said outlet opening discharges directly, said serpentine passage means having throughout its length a greater cross-sectional a'rea'than that l of said first-mentioned passage, an open settling chamber between the exit end of said serpentine f passage means and said suction opening, said settling chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than that of said serpentine passage means and being adapted to provide relatively .slow movement of the air passing therethrough whereby residual droplets of moisture in said air settle out therefrom, a plurality of upwardly-extending perforated bafiles positioned at the bottom of j said settling chamber and adapted to reduce the turbulence of liquid accumulated in the bottom I of the housing, and means surrounding thelsuction opening for intercepting moisture flowing;

along the inner surfaces of the'hcusing walls to ward said suction opening.

5. A floor scrubbing device comprisinga-housing adapted for movement over a floor surface and having top, side, end and bottom walls, a fioor cleaning element supported in a positionbelow the bottom wall of the housing and engageable with the floor surface, means defining a passage exthe outlet opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the'passage to the suction'opening, a series of baffles-extending from one side wall of the housing to the oppositeside wall across the Q .9 a path of travel of the air from the outlet opening to the suction opening and spaced from one another in the direction of air flow to provide a serpentine passage for said air having throughout its length a greater cross-sectional area than that of said first-mentioned passage, a settling chamber beyond said baflles in the direction of air flow, said settling chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than any other portions of the path of travel of said air in said device and being adapted to provide relatively slow movement of the air passing therethrough whereby residual droplets of moisture in said air settle out therefrom, perforate baffle means in the bottom of said housing adapted to reduce turbulence of the liquid therein, and means for distributing liquid from said housing to the floor adjacent said floor cleaning element.

6. A floor scrubbing device comprising a housing adapted for movement over a floor surface having top, side, end and bottom walls, a plate cooperating with the front end wall to form agenerally vertically extending passage having an intake opening located in a position to lie immediately adjacent the floor surface and having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of the housing at a point spaced a substantial distance above the bottom Wall, a squeegee supported on the housing to one side of the intake opening in a position to wipe the floor surface and accumulate moisture at the intake opening, a suction opening in one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage to the suction opening, a substantially vertical baffie extending between opposite side walls of the housing and projecting downwardly from the top wall to a point below the outlet opening, and a second bafiie positioned between the suction opening and said first bafile, said second baffle also extending from one side wall of the housing to the opposite side wall and cooperating with the first baffle to precipitate moisture from the air fiowing from the outlet opening to the suction opening and a settling chamber beyond said bafiles in the direction of air flow, said settling chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than any other portion of the path of travel of said air in said device and being adapted to provide relatively slow movement of the air passing therethrough whereby residual droplets of moisture in said air settle out therefrom.

7. A floor scrubbing device comprising a housing adapted for movement over a floor surface having top, side, end and bottom walls, a plate cooperating with the front end wall to form a generally vertically extending passage having an intake opening located in a position to lie immediately adjacent the floor surface and having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of the housing at a point spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall, a squeegee supported on the housing to one side of the intake opening in a position to wipe the floor surface and accumulate moisture at the intake opening, a suction opening in one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage to the suction opening, a substantially vertical baille extending between opposite side walls of the housing and projecting downwardly from the top wall to a point below the outlet opening, a second bafiie positioned between the suction opening and said first bafile, said second baffle also extending from one side wall of the housing to the opposite side wall and cooperating with the first bafile to precipitate moisture from the air flowing from the outlet opening to the suction opening, and additional baiiies provided with perforations and extending upwardly from the bottom wall of the housing and from one side to the other thereof for reducing turbulence of the liquid in the housing and a settling chamber beyond said first and second baffles in the direction of air flow, said settling chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than any other portion of the path of travel of said air in said device and being adapted to provide relatively slow movement of the air passing therethrough whereby residual droplets of moisture in said air settle out therefrom.

8. A floor scrubbing device comprising a housing adapted for movement over a floor surface having top, side, end and bottom walls, a plate cooperating with the front end wall to form a generally vertically extending passage having an intake opening located in a position to lie immediately adjacent the floor surface and having an outlet opening communicating with the interior of the housing at a point spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall, a squeegee supported on the housing to one side of the intake opening in a position to wipe the floor surface and accumulate moisture at the intake opening, a suction opening in one wall of the housing spaced a substantial distance from the outlet opening and adapted for connection to a suction producing device whereby air is drawn through the passage to the suction opening, a series of bafiles projecting downwardly fromthe top wall of the housing to a point spaced a substantial distance below the outlet opening and spaced from one another in the direction of air flow from the outlet opening to the suction opening, said baflles extending across the path of air fiow from one side wall of the housing to the opposite side wall, and additional baffles projecting upwardly from the bottom wall of the housing and respectively extending between adjacent baffles of the first series to provide a circuitous passage, of larger cross-sectional area throughout its length than said first mentioned passage, for the air and a settling chamber beyond said bailies in the direction of air flow, said settling chamber having a larger cross-sectional area than any other portion of the path of travel of said air in said device and being adapted to provide relatively slow movement of the air passing therethrough whereby residual droplets of moisture in said air settle out therefrom.

WILLIAM J. BELKNAP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 742,283 Bowen Oct. 27, 1903 866,469 Huggins Sept. 17, 1907 1,014,027 Walter Jan. 9, 1912 1,661,979 Ugolini Mar. 6, 1928 1,690,472 Breton Nov. 6, 1928 1,762,142 Breton June 10, 1930 1,849,663 Finnell Mar. 15, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,311 France Jan. 28, 1927 301,588 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1928 

